How to maximize your weekend

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Do you ever feel like you just don’t have enough time on the weekends? I mean, Friday hits and, YES, it’s here! But then you blink and it’s Sunday night and you think, where did the time go? What did I do with my life the last two days?

It can be such a bummer, man.

I’ve figured out a few ways that help ME make the most of my personal time on weekends. Curious? Well, I got you babe. Here are some of the things I do and don’t do, to ensure I maximize the free time and what I feel like I got from it.

I don’t do laundry.

For me, laundry is done on either Wednesday or Thursday nights. I use the following morning to fold it and put it away. I find if I tack on an hour or two during the evening in the week, I can save myself that much more time for fun stuff on the weekend.

I plan me time.

I absolutely plan myself some “me time.” For the most part, I know what I want my weekends to look like. And so by the time Friday comes around, I know that Saturday morning I am hiking by myself or I know that I have carved out an hour for yoga at noon on Sunday or plan to read alone in my backyard Sunday evening. I literally schedule myself something that I know will feed my soul. And then as plans come up for the weekend and time slips away, I’m already committed to something for me, and I won’t be chaotically trying to cram it in somewhere.

I plan social time.

I like to have something specific “booked in” at a certain time on a certain day. So, whether it is drinks at a pub Friday night, a walk with a girlfriend Saturday afternoon or coffee with my sister Sunday, I know when my social time is coming and, again, I can plan around it. I know this might seem weird and rigid. But, for me, it works better for me to know a layout, rather than just continuously reacting to all that is thrown at or offered to me.

I don’t do any trips to the grocery store, if I can help it.

I would just way rather spend my weekend on me, right? Are you seeing my theme here yet? Having fun and unwinding (rather than already being in the next week, by prepping for the next week) is how I try to build my weekends and free time. Don’t get me wrong, it is important to know what is going to happen in the next week for yourself. But I don’t give anytime to Monday, until Monday happens. Does that make sense? Be where you are, when you are there.

So instead of going to the grocery store on Sunday like most peeps, and getting all their new food and produce for the week, I also choose a weekday to do this. Typically, the grocery store is less busy weekday nights. So, I add on less than hour to the end or start of my day during the week, and that means I don’t have to give away any more of my precious time on the weekend.

I dial down.

Sundays are usually my day to detox from social media and emails. Sometimes I do the whole day, and sometimes I start this detox Sunday afternoon and carry it through to the next morning. Why? Because we waste SO much time scrolling and liking and comparing our lives on Facebook, instagram or twitter.

I want to savor all my free time and not only that, I don’t want to create any stress or anxiety by going through work emails before the work week has even started. Monday mornings don’t start Sunday night. Don’t get into work mode before the weekend is over. Force yourself to hold off on work stuff until your – gasp – back at work.

One day of my weekend, I get up early.

It feels good to get up early on the weekend and see ALL the hours ahead of me that are mine to play with. Sometimes if I sleep late, I find that I am playing catch up on the day. So, one of my days off I set an alarm to rise and shine. It really depends on what you have going on that day and if this will work for you. But for me, it makes my weekend feel a little bit longer. Which is what I’m going for.

But I also sleep in, at least one day.

It also feels good to just cruise and start the day slow. Especially if I was up late the night before. If I know I am going to allow myself a good sleep in with no alarms, then I am less likely to feel “guilty” about not getting up and making the most of my time. Because in this case, I AM making the most of my time. You really have to honor what your body needs and sometimes it’s just a great big snooze. I am also a big fan of naps. Just saying.

I don’t hang out with people just because I feel like I “should.”

Heres the thing. Your time is precious. Do you beleive that? Just because you have free time, and Susie-the-brat asked you to go for drinks, doesn’t mean you have to go if you don’t want to see Susie-the-brat. Yes you have free time, and yes you feel like going out for drinks would be fun. But don’t give any of your time or energy away to energy vampires. Hang out with people you really want to hang out with, hang out with people you know are going to leave you feeling lifted up and loved. Ditch the shoulds. Go for the good vibes only.

I don’t clean.

Again, this is something I tack on during my week days, where ever possible. An hour or so added to a day or two during the week doesn’t seem so bad when you know you won’t have to devote anytime to it on the weekend. It’s like getting your homework done and then being free.

Work hard during the week, play harder on the weekend.

I work out, but work out in the morning.

I love to get a good sweat on any day of the week, but for my time to be maximized I do it in the mornings. The gym is usually quiet, I only shower once, right after the work out, and I’m also set up for hydration and healthy eating for the rest of the day.

Hope this helps you make the most of your weekend. Play with it, focus on what makes you feel good, and what works with your life. The point is to make YOU happy, so however that works for you, go for it!